Boat mooring assembly



Aug. 17; 1954 e. E. OHMSTEDE 2,686,491 I BOAT MOORING ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 14, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG I.

INVENTOR GENE E. OHMSTEDE ATTORNEY 1954 G. E. OHMSTEDE BOAT MOORING ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 14, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR GENE E. OHMS TEDE m' Z ATTORNEf Patented Aug. 17, 1954 UNITED BOAT MO ORING ASSEMBLY Gene E. Ohmstede, Beaumont, Tex, assignor to Ohmstede Machine Works, Beaumont, Tex., a

partnership Application November 14, 1952, Serial No. 320,431

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to a mooring device and more particularly to means for maintaining a boat in a boathouse or the like, so as to prevent damage to the sides of the boat.

An important object consists in providing a pier, wharf or the like, with a stall for receiving a boat to be moored. At least one revoluble drum is mounted on one side of the stall and has wrapped thereon a pair of mooring lines or cables. The outer end of one of the cables is arranged to extend across the boat and be detachably connected to the opposite side, while the other mooring line is arranged to be detachably connected to the adjacent side of the stall. Additionally, weighted means are connected to the drum so as to take up slack on the mooring lines so that the boat will be prevented from moving sideways and be maintained substantially centrally in the stall and be spaced from the sides thereof. However, the boat is free to rise and fall with the tide so that means are provided for preventing the boat from bumping or scraping against the sides of the stall.

A further object consists in providing a boathouse with spaced bulkheads forming between them a stall or space for mooring a boat, one of the bulkheads such as the one adjacent the starboard side being provided with longitudinally spaced drums and the bulkhead on the opposite side having mounted thereon spaced pulleys in transverse alignment with the drums. Additionally, the boathouse adjacent the top thereof may be provided with sheaves or pulleys that are in vertical alignment on one side with the drums and on the other side with the pulleys on the bulkhead. Each drum has wrapped thereon a pair of mooring lines or cables and also a cable for supporting a weighted member. The outer end of one of the mooring lines extends upwardly over one of the pulleys and across the boathouse to another pulley and then downwardly under the pulley on the other bulkhead so as to be detachably connected to the side of the boat opposite to the drum. The other mooring line has its outer end arranged to be detachably connected to the adjacent side of the boat. Additionally, means are provided for locking the drum against rotation so as to relieve the mooring lines of the weight normally applied to them by the ponderous member.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying claims and drawings.

Referring to the drawings in which is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a boathouse and stall constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a detailed side view with parts in section of the boathouse shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detailed plan view of the forward end of the boathouse shown in Figure l with parts in section, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional View taken substantially along the line of 45 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, it indicates a boathouse which is supported by the post i l extending above the normal water level I2 (Fig. 1). To the top of the post ll within the boathouse are secured the longitudinally extending bulkheads or side members [3 which are spaced apart within the boathouse to form a stall I l of sufficient length and width to receive a boat [5. A bulkhead l3 on one side, such as the starboard side of the boat, has mounted thereon longitudinally spaced revoluble drums l6 and El (Figure 2) arranged to be positioned adjacent the bow and stern, respectively, of the boat [5 when the latter is moored in the boathouse. Manifestly the number of drums may be varied depending upon the size of the boat to be moored.

Each of the drums l6 and I? may be rotatably mounted on a pair of longitudinally spaced L- shaped brackets it] having horizontal flanges 69 provided with openings receiving the threaded retaining bolts 2! so as to secure the same to a bulkhead or supporting member 13 (Figure 1). The vertical arm 22 of each bracket has a bearing opening for receiving a trunnion 23 which ex tends outwardly and centrally from the adjacent end plate 24 of the drum it so that the drum may be rotatably mounted on the brackets 18. One of the brackets it such as shown in Figure 4 may also be provided with an opening arranged to selectively register with one of a series of circumferentially spaced openings 26 (Figure l) and be locked in a fixed position relative thereto by a pin 21 which may be at tached to the bolt 2| by a flexible member or chain 28, The vertical portion 22 of the bracket It may be provided with a pair of spaced openings 25 for selectively receiving the pin 2?. It will be manifest that only one of these openings may be used to receive a pin 2'! to lock the drum in a non-rotatable position.

Each of the drums is arranged to receive a pair of flexible mooring lines or cables 29 and 3B, which have their inner ends secured to the drum and are such a length as to wrap around the drum and be detachably connected to opposite sides of the boat l5 when the latter is in the stall M.

As shown, the drum "5 (Figure 3) is positioned adjacent the bow of the boat on thestarboard side thereof so that the outer fixed looped end portion SI of the line 29 is arranged to be detach ably connected to the hook arms 32 of a cleat 33 secured to the bow of the boat i5. The ooring line 36 on the drum it is of such a length as to be connected to the opposite or port side of the boat and extends upwardly from the drum over a pulley 3! connected as at 32' to a cross beam 33' adjacent the top of the boathouse it. The mooring line then extend across the boathouse and is trained over a pulley 34 connected as at 35 to the beam 33. The line at then extends downwardly past a pulley or sheave 36 connected as at 31 to a bulkhead I3 and has its outer fixed looped end portion 38 detachably connected to a cleat 38 which may be similar in construction to the cleat 33 previously described. The drum l'i adjacent the stern of the boat is sub stantially similar in construction and operation to the drum l6 and may be detachably connected by mooring rope 39 to the port side of the boat i5.

A flexible line or cable 4!; is wrapped around each of the drums i6 and ii and has its outer or free end 4! provided with suitable securing means such as a loop t2 (Figure 2) connected to an eye or a loop 53 on a ponderous 0r weighted member 44 so as to exert downward pressure on the mooring lines 29 and 36 for the purpose of taking up slack on these lines and insuring them being maintained taut when connected to the boat. One of the trunnions 23 preferably is of such a length as to extend outwardly as at 45 (Figure 2) from the bracket i8 and has a polygonal shaped head 48 (Figure 3) for detachably receiving a similarly formed socket of operating handle 41 for manually rotating the drum.

Whenever it is desired or necessary to relieve the mooring lines from the downward pressure exerted by the weight M, this may be done by locking each drum to a bracket it through the pins 21. Thus it will be seen that when a boat is moved into the stall l4 and connected to the mooring lines in the manner as shown in Figure 1, the boat will be positioned substantially centrally between and spaced from the sides of the stall or bulkheads i3. Furthen'the downward pressure exerted by the weights M maintain the mooring line taut to prevent the boat from moving sideways into contact with the bulkheads which might cause scraping or damage to the boat. However, this connection frees the boat so that it may rise and fall with the tide while limiting its lateral movement.

The mooring lines 29 and 38 may be rotated by connecting the operating handle i! to the head of the drums so as to be detachably connected to opposite sides of the boat in order to maintain the boat in a substantially centrally disposed position within the stall i i and free from engagement with the sides of the bulkheads is. When it is desired to relieve the mooring lines of the downward pressure exerted by the weights the drums are locked to the bracket through the instrumentality oi" the pins 27 (Figure i).

It will be noted that the mooring lines 29 and 3B are wound around the drum it in the same direction so that the weight 45 exerts a uniform pressure against both of the lines. Each drum may have an annular flange or collar 38 for separating the mooring line 29 from the weight line 46. Preferably, the mooring lines have looped outer ends for engaging the cleats on the boat so that when the boat is moved into the stall, each line is connected by a loop to a cleat so that the boat will center itself when the locking pin or device 21 is removed from the drum and the weight applied, thus eliminating the necessity of manually adjusting or tightening the lines.

Thus it will be seen that simple, efficient and positive means are provided for insuring the boat when moved into the stall it of the boathouse from being damaged due to bumping against the sides of the stall or bulkheads. Further, both the mooring lines 29 and 3B which are fastened to opposite sides of the boat, are wrapped around and attached to the same drum such as H3, in order to maintain the boat centrally located in the boathouse. However, the boat is free to move vertically in the boathouse in response to variations in the tide but is prevented from being damaged by being forcibly thrown against the sides of the boathouse due to waves or storms.

It will be understood that the form of the invention shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made as come within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a boathouse having a mooring stall arranged to receive a boat, a revolnble'drum mounted on one side of the stall, said drum having a pair of mooring lines wrapped thereon, one of said lines extending upwardly and across the stall to the opposite side thereof, means for detachably connecting the end portion of said line to the adjacent side of the boat, the other of said mooring lines having it outer end detachably connected to the side of the boat adjacent the drum, and weighted means connected to the drum for maintaining the mooring lines taut, the parts being constructed and arranged so that both mooring lines that fasten to opposite sides of the boat are wrapped around and attached to the drum in order to maintain the boat centrally located in the boathouse.

2. In combination with a boathouse as called for in claim 1 in which means are provided for relieving the pressure of the weight on the mooring lines.

3. In combination with a boathouse having spaced sides arranged to receive a boat between them, a pair of longitudinal spaced drums mounted on one of the sides so as to be positioned adjacent the bow and stern of the boat, the other 01 said sides having sheaves in substantial transverse alignment with said drums, the top of the boathouse having transversely aligned pairs of pulleys connected thereto, a pair of mooring lines secured to each of the drums and wrapped thereon, the outer end of one of the mooring lines passing over a pair of pulleys and through a sheave, means on the outer ends of the lines for detachably connecting the same to the adja cent side or" the boat, and each of said drums having a ponderous member connected thereto to maintain the boat substantially centrally within the boathouse when connected to the mooring lines, the parts being constructed and arranged so that both mooring lines that fasten to opposite sides of the boat are wrapped around and attached to the same drum in order to maintain the boat centrally located in the boathouse.

i. In combination with a boathouse as called for in claim 3 having means for relieving each drum of the downward pressure exerted thereon by the ponderous member.

5. In combination with a boathouse having spaced bulkheads on opposite sides thereof for forming a stall, a boat arranged to be moored in the stall, spaced drums mounted on one of the bulkheads so as to be positioned adjacent the bow and stern of the boat, spaced sheaves on the other bulkhead, each of said drums having a pair of mooring lines Wrapped thereon, said boathouse adjacent the top thereof having transverse pairs of aligned pulleys, the outer end of one of the mooring lines on each drum being trained over transverse aligned pulleys and a sheave means for detachably connecting said last mentioned line to the adjacent side of the boat, the outer end of the other mooring line being provided with means for detachably connecting the same to the adjacent side of the boat, and a ponderous member connected to the drum so as to exert tension on the mooring lines when they are connected to the boat 50 as to maintain the latter substantially centrally within the boathouse.

6. In combination with a boathouse as called for in claim 5 in which means are provided for preventing rotation of each of the drums and for relieving the tension exerted by the ponderous member on the mooring lines.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 57,877 Devon Sept. 11, 1866 1,118,113 Du Bosque Nov. 24, 1914 1,275,399 Crooks Aug. 13, 1918 2,440,972 Peltier May 4:, 948 2,552,424 Gorman May 8, 1951 2,640,534 Cofling June 2', 1953 

